05.12.22

Correct the Record: “Medicare for All” Means Medicare for None

Democrats misleading Americans on consequences of one-size-fits-all health care

WASHINGTON – Democrats have consolidated power in Washington and the world is on fire. Instead of taking responsibility for their poor policy choices, Democrats are intent on spending more and saving less. This latest push from liberal Democrats on so-called “Medicare for All” would mean the end of private health insurance, higher taxes and delays in care.

Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) interpreted a Mercatus Center study, saying that it shows $2 trillion in savings over a decade.

  • The Washington Post fact-checked the claim that a Mercatus Center study showed “Medicare for All” saves $2 trillion over a decade, pointing out “the main point of [the] study is being ignored by Democrats — that even by generously accepting Sanders’s assumptions that he could squeeze providers so much, the plan would still raise government expenditures by $32.6 trillion.” Fact-checkers gave the claim Three Pinocchios.

Chairman Sanders claims a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis found “Medicare for All” would eliminate out of pocket costs and save $650 billion per year.

  • There is no scenario in which Americans pay nothing and receive the same level of care they are receiving today. “Medicare for All” means higher taxes and disruption in care for the majority of Americans.
  • The CBO analysis is clear that cost savings are achieved ONLY IF provider reimbursement is cut or utilization is reduced.

Democrats say “Medicare for All” is popular. But when you tell the American people what it would really do, they overwhelmingly oppose the proposal.

  • According to a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a majority of Americans oppose “Medicare for All” when they find out it means higher taxes, the elimination of private health insurance, delays in care and threatens the current Medicare program.

The economy is in bad shape and Democrats claim “Medicare for All” is a remedy.

  • Democrats’ math does not add up. When you examine CBO’s analyses on both the creation of a single payer system and how it would be financed, the economic outlook is bleak.
  • There is no way to pay for this plan. Even if Democrats doubled all income and corporate taxes, it wouldn’t be enough to pay for the multi-trillion dollar proposal. Even taxing 100 percent of high earners’ pay would not raise enough revenue. 

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